


Counting to Ten

by Sandycastle



Series: Child of the Heart [1]
Category: Bonanza/Ponderosa
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-02
Updated: 2016-11-02
Packaged: 2018-08-28 16:21:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8453311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sandycastle/pseuds/Sandycastle
Summary: Ben Cartwright finds his little son dirty.





	

Counting to Ten

By Rosemarie

 

Ben Cartwright stood there looking at his six-year old child. “Nicholas Brett Gibson Cartwright! You tell me right now young man just how you got so full of mud when you were told to sit in the great room and wait for me.” Ben eyed the recalcitrant boy.  
“Uhm… Papa, it was an accident. I saw a squirrel run across the yard and I went to see where it was going. I was only going to follow it a little ways, but then it ran into the woods. I ran after it and a tree root stuck out and I tripped on it falling onto the ground. I didn’t mean to get my good clothes dirty. Really I didn’t.” Sparky’s eyes filled with tears that streaked down his face creating tracks on his cheeks as his face was quite dirty too.  
Hmm. You had better go to the wash house and get out of those muddy clothes. I’ll help you to get a bath in a few minutes. I have to see if Hop Sing has any hot water on the back of the stove.” Ben turned the little mite and guided him by his shoulders into the wash house and then went to the kitchen. 

When Ben returned the child had not yet stripped off his clothes. Ben sighed, poured the water into the tub and then stripping the child himself dumped him into the tub with awash cloth and a bar of soap. “You wash up good. Papa is going to get you clean clothes.”   
“Yes Papa.” The little mite said beginning to soap himself up.

When Ben returned he was shocked. The littlest Cartwright had water sloshed all over the floor, suds and bubbles everywhere and was trying to dry off his still soapy body. Counting to ten he asked, “Nicholas, just what do you think you’re doing young man?”  
“I’m finished with my bath Papa.” The child looked up not understanding just why his Papa looked so upset.   
“Well, young man, you need to rinse off first before you can dry off.” Ben picked up the little boy, plunking him back into the tub and then pouring fresh water all over him until he was squeaky clean. Then he plucked him up out of the tub and dried him off. He turned him and gave him one sharp swat to his bare, damp pink bottom before dressing him again.   
“Ow! Papa! That hurt!” The child rubbed the stinging spot.   
“This time little boy you had better stay clean or I will really warm your bottom do you understand?” Ben hugged the child to him.  
“Yes Papa, I promise not to get dirty again.” Sparky smiled up at his Papa.   
The end


End file.
